Sofia Mesa Email & Phone Number

Florida, United States

US & Canada

• Track, maintain and report on BFFP US Movement participation.
• Ensure strong documentation and records of members projects, support, and activities.
• Maintain directories, logs, resource databases and action alerts.
• Manage and reconcile budgets, process invoices and support microgrants to build capacity across the movement.
• Resource Center development, management and maintenance, supporting members' access to information (toolkits, resource development, compiling resources produced by members).
• Plan and organize online events, including capacity-building webinars, workshops, trainings, and BFFP US WG meetings for members.

US & Canada

• Tracks, maintains and reports on BFFP US Movement participation.
• Ensure strong documentation and records of members projects, support, and activities.
• Maintain directories, logs, resource databases and action alerts.
• Resource Center development, management and maintenance, supporting members' access to information (toolkits, resource development, compiling resources produced by members).
• Planning and organizing online events, including capacity-building webinars, workshops, trainings, and BFFP US WG meetings for members.
• Tracking grant documentation including drafting financial and narrative reporting.

• Research and produce landscape analysis of 100 schools in Florida to strategize and improve climateeducation programming, resources, and Learning Labs through feedback and data analysis.
• Conduct outreach across school districts in Florida, directly communicating with networks ofeducators: supporting teachers, principles, and district leaders in frontline communities.
• Develop networks with 50 nonprofits and community based organizations, producing a landscapeanalysis on the impact of their climate actions and environmental work in their communities.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

• Debris Free Oceans is a local nonprofit dedicated to making Miami a zero waste city. DFO strives to inspire plastic-free living through education on the research and dangers of single-use plastics, hosting engaging.
• Oversee the recruitment and training processes of interns and personally host cleanups, consult for businesses, and deliver presentations;have currently educated over 2,500 individuals.
• Co-translated the plastic education presentation into Spanish to expand the range of groups that can be educated by the nonprofit on thetopic of plastic pollution and solutions.
• Presented during a committee hearing on local legislation recommending Miami Dade County to procure single-use plastic alternatives.
• Collaborated on the creation and use of the reusable and backyard compostable vendor guide used for the nonprofit’s sustainabilityconsulting with local government, businesses, and schools.
• Drafted grant proposals and negotiate donations of food and beverage from local vendors for regular free cleanup events.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

• First intern at the nonprofit.
• Delivered two presentations a month on the impacts of single-use plastics, and organizing a monthly cleanup.
• Consulted for one business to swap out single-use plastics for reusable and backyard compostable products.
• Increased the amount available options of reusable cups on the vendor list for sustainability consulting efforts.

Miami, Florida, United States

• UThrift is a free on-campus thrift swap at the University of Miami. The stand seeks to mitigate fast fashion’s environmental footprint as well as redistribute access to high quality goods to all members of the campus.
• Established and head the coordination of all UThrift’s sustainability efforts, conceptualized and develop zero waste and circular practicesfor all projects, purchases, events, and partnerships; these goals include.
• Lead the development of new sustainable projects and delegate responsibilities to sustainability chairs; projects have included introductorysewing skill workshops, carbon footprint email receipt, and fast fashion.
• Developed partnership with nonprofits, student organizations, and the university for regular volunteering and monthly donating efforts;have coordinated 500 lbs. of clothing donations to groups in need and partnerships.
• Represent the thrift stand through communications with on-campus organizations and faculty; help create event flyers and graphics for social media posts for events on Instagram and Facebook accounts, and oversee blog.

• Compiled research on contracts between universities and beverage vendors, analyzing language trends in the sustainability clauses of the contracts.
• Synthesized research, creating a guide breaking down challenging legal language so that students can better comprehend legal contracts and use this knowledge to transition their universities to zero waste systems.
• Conducted interviews with campus staff and vendors to survey their experiences with beverage contracts, integrated this first-hand knowledge into the guide.
• Created a social media toolkit, outlining outreach and posting strategies to ensure our toolkit will be shared widely across college students.
• Filed a FOIA request to obtain a public university’s contract.

Miami, Florida, United States

• Represent and serve as liaison for the agency with Student Government, administration, and the student body.
• Oversee all projects and events of ECO Agency members, set meeting agendas, advise members throughout their initiatives.
• Manage the use of a $500,000 yearly budget and distribute the funds for various capital projects, events, and campaigns.
• Lead the programming of Earth Week 2021 on campus; developed the theme of climate change awareness and solutions, coordinated speakers, and activities that were both zero waste and COVID friendly.

• Mentor eighty freshmen as a mediator between them and their academic endeavors
• Plan programs throughout the year to brief residents on campus resources, such as the “Pizza Planning Event” in which the residents were guided in creating four year graduation plans.
• Assist in the development of building-wide strategies for approximately 800 residents to address their concerns based on data collection and analysis of monthly conversation logs.
• Co-head the Staff Development and Recognition committee and manage the distribution of budget funds for events such as the planning of internal professional development events for the first year fellow staff.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

• Lead the direction of revising campus policy and practice regarding food waste management and low-carbon dietary options in on-campusfood establishments.
• Negotiated the testing and curating of plant-based recipes to implement in the dining halls with the university's dining and auxiliary servicesstaff; such as vegan: pancakes, mac and cheese, and chia seed pudding.
• Consulted for restaurant, the Rathskeller, by creating a cost-benefit analysis to replace their single-use plastics with reusable and backyardcompostable options, mitigating 42,613 annually produced plastics; added a.
• Initiated the composting program that is based on campus at the University Village and integrated the existing coffee ground fertilizer program into the responsibilities of the student organization, ECO Reps.
• Represented the University of Miami by drafting and delivering a speech at the 9/20/19 Climate Rally.

Miami, Florida, United States

• Collaborated on initiatives focused on managing waste streams, reducing single-use plastics, and implementing more plant-based options throughout campus.
• Strengthened the growth of UThrift from an initiative into a student organization by co-drafting our constitution and mission statements for a presentation to the Committee of Student Organizations.
• Managed the coffee ground pick up program with three coffee shops on campus to collect used coffee grounds and repurpose them as fertilizer for our community garden.
• Delegated event planning initiatives for the Rathskeller to fellow green committee members to promote the restaurant’s environmental gains.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Environmental Science, English

High School Diploma